A group of high school students completed the inaugural Camino de San Francisco, a 24.5-mile Catholic pilgrimage from San Rafael to San Francisco, to celebrate Saint Francis of Assisi on the 800th anniversary of his death.
Caminos are pilgrimages intended to provide an opportunity to step away from ordinary life and focus on faith and interior reflection. They date back to the ninth century.
According to Franciscan tradition, St. Francis traveled a camino around 1214, preaching along the way and advancing his message of poverty and simplicity.
According to CBS News, the pilgrimage began at Mission San Rafael Arcángel and concluded two days later at Mission Dolores in San Francisco. Father Christopher Iwancio, chaplain of St. Francis High School in La Cañada, California, led the journey.
Fr. Iwancio said the pilgrimage held particular significance for students of Junipero Serra.
"We are walking in the footsteps of Junipero Serra and following St. Francis of Assisi," Fr. Iwancio said. "This is a great connection between St. Serra and our students and our school. Also, this being the inaugural Camino de San Francisco, I really feel fortunate and blessed to be a part of that.”
In the CBS News article, Cooper Smith, a participant and student at Junipero Serra High School, said he found following in the saints’ footsteps meaningful.
"You got to see a lot of sites that even Junipero Serra went on — a lot of places that have amazing views," Smith said. "It was all around amazing."
Fr. Iwancio encouraged others to consider taking part in similar activities that foster reflection and community.
"Take a walk with somebody. Take a walk with your neighbors and meet people. Try to meet the people who are around you," he said. "Maybe you might experience the world a little bit differently."